Chapter: 8.2

The newlyweds were expected to serve three bowls of tea: one to Emperor Yongchang as

the father, one to Empress Zhou as the mother, and an additional one to Noble Concubine Du,

who was Prince Hui’s foster mother.

Having multiple mothers-in-law had its perks. Yao Huang received an extra set of gifts.

Empress Zhou presented her with a ruby hairpin, while Noble Concubine Du, not wanting to

be outdone, gifted her a pair of ruby earrings.

Though the gemstones on the earrings were smaller than those on the hairpin, Noble Concubine Du’s gesture was generous enough. Yao  Huang, delighted by the gifts, sweetly called her “Mother Consort.”

Concubine Liu and Concubine Shen also gave presents, though their relationship with Yao Huang

was less formal. Their gifts were more modest: a vivid green jade bracelet from Concubine Liu

and a smooth, delicate white jade bracelet from Concubine Shen.

As Yao Huang expressed her gratitude, she couldn’t help but think, Why doesn’t Emperor

Yongchang confer titles on a few more consorts? With a couple more bracelets, I could

switch to a new one every month of the year.

The group exchanged pleasantries and polite conversation until Emperor Yongchang left to

attend to state affairs. Empress Zhou then instructed Noble Concubine Du to take the young

couple to Yikun Palace for a more private and intimate chat.

In the eyes of others, Prince Hui had been taken to Yikun Palace and raised by Noble

Concubine Du since birth. Their bond was believed to be as close as that of a biological

mother and son, at least judging by the care and guidance Noble Concubine Du had always

shown him.

On the way to Yikun Palace, Noble Concubine Du walked between the newlyweds. Knowing

Zhao Su was disinclined to engage in conversation, she spoke only to Yao Huang. “Is that

maid following behind one of the dowry maids you brought from your family?”

She was referring to Ah Ji, who was trailing them.

Yao Huang replied, “Yes, Ah Ji has been by my side since she was four. I’m used to having

her with me wherever I go.”

Noble Concubine Du said, “You’re quite bold, bringing her here without fear that she might

disrupt the palace rules.”

Yao Huang smiled and reassured her, “Don’t worry, Your Grace. I had her trained for a full

month by Huamei. Huamei truly lives up to her reputation as someone from your service—

 she taught her exceptionally well.”

Noble Concubine Du paused before asking, “And how are the four maids I assigned to you?”

Yao Huang replied, “They’re excellent—each one more capable than the last. With their

help, I barely have to lift a finger.”

Noble Concubine Du nodded, “Chunyan and Qiuchan are newcomers. I specifically sent

Huamei to train them for you. Huamei was originally my choice for a senior palace maid,

but when the time came for Zhao Sui’s marriage, I reluctantly gave her to you. Make good

use of her. She’s there to assist you in managing the prince’s household affairs. Don’t let

me down or give me cause for concern.”

Yao Huang: “…”

The fifteen-year-old Second Princess coughed lightly and kindly reminded her mother:

“Mother, Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law just got married. Why ruin the mood

with such comments?”

Concubine Du sighed in frustration:

“My fault, Huanghuang, don’t take it to heart. I just feel sorry for Zhao’er, no other reason.”

Yao Huang: “…”

She must be doing this on purpose, deliberately calling her “Huanghuang”!

It was said that when Yao Huang was born, her parents painstakingly thought of the name

“Yao Huang.” By convention, “Yao Huang” was associated with the king of peonies,

signifying beauty and grandeur. Her parents hoped she would grow into a girl as regal as the

king of flowers, making the name a symbol of love and blessing. However, when it came

time to give her a nickname, they realized that “Huanghuang” or “Ah Huang” sounded like

names people gave to pet dogs. So, the couple quickly adjusted and decided to call her

“Yaoyao” instead.

Throughout her childhood, friends who were close to Yao Huang called her “Yaoyao.” Only

people like Li Tingwang, who deliberately wanted to tease her, would call her

“Huanghuang.”

Concubine Du made no effort to hide her malice, but Yao Huang had no grounds to correct her

on the matter of nicknames.

The Second Princess couldn’t hold back her laughter and looked at Yao Huang with a mix of

mischief and curiosity.

“Does your family call you that too, Second Sister-in-law?”

Yao Huang smiled and replied,

“Sometimes ‘Yaoyao,’ sometimes ‘Huanghuang.'”

The mother and daughter were waiting for her to get flustered or angry, but she refused to

give them the satisfaction.

“So what if it’s ‘Huanghuang’? Yellow is not only bright and vibrant but also a noble color

favored by royalty. As long as I don’t see it as shameful, ‘Huanghuang’ can be a good name

too.”

Zhao Sui suddenly interjected, “I’m tired. If there’s nothing else, Mother, I and the Princess Consort will take our leave.”

Concubine Du had no reason to stop him and asked her daughter to escort the couple out of

Yikun Palace.

The Second Princess, with a playful smile, accompanied them outside. Before parting

ways, she leaned toward Yao Huang and whispered mischievously:

“Second Sister-in-law, you’re probably curious about who Second Brother’s original

betrothal was, right? I’ll tell you—it was Zheng Yuan Zhen, my future sister-in-law.”

Yao Huang finally understood the subtle eye exchanges between the Second Princess and

Princess Fucheng during last night’s banquet. —

On the way out of the palace, Yao Huang had a lot on her mind.

It was well-known that Emperor Yongchang greatly favored his sister, Princess Fucheng. His

favoritism was so pronounced that he would seriously consider her recommendations for

officials and had even acted on several of them.

If Princess Fucheng supported a specific prince for the crown prince’s position, her influence on Emperor Yongchang would undoubtedly be significant.

Yao Huang glanced at Prince Hui in his wheelchair.

Being a prince was already an honor. Only now did Yao Huang realize her husband once had a strong chance of competing for the throne.

However, with his legs crippled, he would forever remain a prince, unable to advance further.

Yao Huang didn’t feel regretful; in fact, she found it reassuring. With three other princes still

vying for the throne, their rivalry would undoubtedly lead to open and covert struggles.

Whoever ultimately ascended the throne would likely retaliate against the others. Only

Prince Hui, having withdrawn from the competition early, would remain safe, perhaps even

receiving extra care from the new emperor to demonstrate brotherly harmony.

Being a princess consort was already prestigious enough; Yao Huang harbored no greater

ambitions.

But she wondered—did Prince Hui view losing the throne as equal in weight to losing his

ability to walk? —

Back in the carriage, Yao Huang found it hard to remain as relaxed as she had been on the

way there. After all, Prince Hui had just been jabbed in his sore spot by Concubine Du, and her

snide remarks likely embarrassed him further.

Silence enveloped the space. Yao Huang lowered her head and fidgeted with her fingertips.

Her full cheeks naturally puffed slightly as she looked down, giving her an unintentionally

pouting expression.

Zhao Sui glanced at her several times before finally asking, “Why do you look unhappy?”

Startled, Yao Huang raised her head and looked at him, confused.

Zhao Sui stared directly at her.

“Why are you upset?”

Yao Huang blinked, then explained,

“I’m not upset. I was just nervous because you weren’t speaking, so I didn’t dare to say  much.”

Zhao Sui replied, “I wasn’t speaking earlier either, but you were quite talkative then.”

Despite his lifeless-looking eyes, they exuded an air of authority and sharpness when

focused on someone. Yao Huang hesitated briefly before picking a safer response. She

spoke softly, “I thought my background and nickname had embarrassed Your Highness.”

Zhao Sui paused before saying, “I already knew about your background on the day of the selection. If I minded, I wouldn’t have chosen you.”

“As for your nickname, I don’t see anything laughable about it.”

Yao Huang understood—he didn’t care at all about the things Concubine Du mocked her for!

“Your Highness is so kind. Her Ladyship was right—I’m truly fortunate to have married you!”

Zhao Sui: “…”

He closed his eyes, avoiding her radiant gaze.

His willingness to comfort her suggested he wasn’t personally hurt by Concubine Du’s words.

Relieved, Yao Huang leaned closer to him and whispered,  “Your Highness, you don’t seem very close to Her Ladyship, do you?”

Zhao Sui glanced at her.  “What makes you think that?”

Yao Huang scoffed. “Isn’t it obvious? If she truly loved you, she would have treated me better for your sake  instead of mocking me the moment we met.”

Zhao Sui: “Even if that’s true, so what?”

Yao Huang replied, “That depends on what Your Highness wants. If you expect me to respect and

accommodate her, I’ll be a dutiful daughter-in-law. But if you disapprove of her behavior, I

won’t quietly endure her taunts—I’ll stand up for myself when necessary.”

Zhao Sui had already noticed her boldness the previous night. She cooperated with him but lacked fear. It didn’t surprise him that she dared to speak openly about Concubine Du.

However, Concubine Du had plenty of means to torment a daughter-in-law from a humble background.

“Endure minor slights when possible. If you truly can’t, don’t force yourself. Prioritize avoiding major conflicts.”

Standing up for one’s dignity wasn’t worth unnecessary suffering.

Yao Huang smiled.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I know my limits. But let’s agree on one thing: if I ever argue with someone and I’m in the right, you have to back me up. Otherwise, I’d rather suffer in silence than be reprimanded by you in front of others.”

Without a powerful family to rely on, her strength as a princess consort came solely from her husband. Unity between them was essential for her confidence.

Zhao Sui looked at her radiant face and suddenly felt suspicious. “You wouldn’t even hesitate to defy the emperor, would you?”

Yao Huang laughed.

“Of course not. Whatever His Majesty says, I’ll listen respectfully.”

Zhao Sui turned his head and gave her a rare promise. “As long as you’re in the right, I’ll stand by you.”

Overjoyed, Yao Huang quickly leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Startled, Zhao Sui gripped the armrest tightly and scolded her softly,

“Don’t be so bold.”

Seeing that he didn’t enjoy it at all—unlike her father, who would beam after being kissed by

her mother—she quickly returned to her seat and muttered defensively,

“I thought Your Highness would like it. I won’t dare do it again.”

Zhao Sui remained silent.